The Quiet Dragon
by SKpriestess
Summary: Life was never really easy for Andrea. It was always work, work, work. Moving to NY, graduating from Juilliard, and going back home was the plan. No room for anything else. That was until she met him...
1. The Night Begins

"You look great!"

"I look ridiculous." Formal wear was not my forte. Though I loved the royal blue color, a floor-length evening gown was not my first choice of comfortable "going out" clothes.

"Andrea, this is the KC annual children's charity ball. Everyone is going to be there, and it's a black tie affair." Laura has always been the girly-girl of our duo. She always had her long blonde hair perfectly done, her nails manicured, her teeth constantly white, and her skin kissed by the sun (or by a tanning bed). Tonight was not different. Her hair was up in a beautiful bun of curls, her nails the same color as her "princess ball gown", her lips a crimson red, and topped off with 4 inch stilettos. I swear she's like a life-sized Barbie minus the unrealistic hourglass figure. "Besides, you have to look like a girl sometimes. Can't wear yoga pants and a hoodie forever!" she said in a "non-judgemental, I can pick on you" tone.

"I still feel like a fish out of water."

"Well, guess what, fish? Time to learn how to walk….in these!" She was holding a pair of silver heels by the straps and dangled them in front of me.

"No."

"Yes."

"No way."

"It's happening."

"You can't be serious." I groaned.

"Shoes. On. Now." She ordered. I grabbed the ankle-breaking hazards from her and went to the bed to sit and put them on. I know she means well, but this country bumpkin isn't made for "fancy livin'" as my dad would say. Moving from Lexington was hard, especially for my dad, but he knew that he raised a strong independent daughter who could take care of herself in the Big Apple. Shortly after my move, I met Laura and instantly became friends through a love of horrible TV shows and cheesecake.

"Those look **_SO_** good on you!" She squealed. I rolled my eyes, shook my head, and headed back to the mirror. I don't know where I'd be without her as my best friend/roommate; except probably in a pair of my black yoga pants and UK hoodie, lounging on the couch.

"Damn, girl! You look gorgeous! You clean up so well."

"Thanks." I replied. It was weird, but I had to agree with her. I hardly recognized the tall brunette staring back in the mirror. My hair was in waterfall curls, my make-up making my eyes shimmer, a gorgeous diamond necklace around my neck with matching earrings, and a full set of painted acrylic nails that I kept playing with.

"Stop! You'll ruin them."

"Sorry, nervous habit. At least I'm not biting them anymore."

"True, but I spent a lot of time and money to make you look like a lady, and I'll be damned if they get ruined before anyone else besides me sees them." I chuckled to myself, because if it weren't for her blonde hair and "Georgia peach" accent, she'd be the sister I never had. Dad absolutely loved her the first time she came home with me for break; hell, he considers her his "other daughter". Three years later, I am almost convinced she is my long lost sister.

"How did you even get tickets to this thing? Isn't it like only A-list socialites and CEO's that can get into this?" I questioned.

"Daddy got the invite. He's in Fiji with Momma right now, so he gave them to me. He said to tell them that 'Hank Jones said his daughters are taking his place.' Perks of having a daddy who owns his share of a major insurance company."

 _Thanks, Hank. Now I'm getting dragged to this_. "I guess being the best friend of an unofficial heiress means I have to be just as outgoing as you to social events?"

"For everything, really! Look, you are my sister from another mister, so you **_HAVE_** to indulge in my lifestyle. It's sister code."

"Oh, please. I call bull on that." I laughed.

"Fine, but it's my code. We are going to take over the world with class and style. Even if it kills you!" she smirked with her arm around my shoulders. "Now, let's go. The limo is here!"

The drive to the party only took about 45 minutes, which was filled with Laura explaining how our night would be filled with dancing our shoes off, drinking tons of wine, donating her daddy's money to the cause, and "scoring" someone for me to cuddle on. Though she is very pushy, outgoing, often times loud, and has no filter in some cases, I couldn't have asked for a better friend.

"I swear, Andrea, if you aren't locking lips with a hottie by the end of the night, I will have failed as a pseudo-sister/mentor."

"Oh geez, Laura. You are so over dramatic." I laughed.

"Juilliard, darling. It's what we do." She replied in her "attempt" at a regal British accent.

"British accents still aren't your strong suit."

"No kidding! We're seniors, about to graduate in May, and I **still** can't do a British accent that's convincing."

"It's that _twang_ you got, honey-bun." I mocked in my Georgia-ish accent.

"Oh hush, you!" She giggled as she pushed my head.

"Hey, watch the hair!"

"Oh, my God. You sounded like a girl." She teased. All I could do was stick my tongue out at her as our limo pulled up the driveway.


	2. Fate in Motion

"Wow." My jaw dropped at the sight of this beautiful mansion. The look of this place was the stuff of fairy tales: grand staircase to the double door entrance, white columns supporting a second level balcony, windows with white trim, a fountain in the middle of the circle driveway lit up by beautiful white lights. I've only ever seen a place like this in movies. I was speechless.

"A little small for my liking. Reminds me of the summer house in Biloxi." Laura stated as she exited the limo behind me.

"Small for you, maybe. I wouldn't know what to do with all that room." I retorted.

"Come on, lady. Let's go make our appearance known!" She linked her arm into mine, and we walked up the stairs to the doors. Trying not to trip over my dress, I was walking slowly; at the same time that Laura was nearly pulling my shoulder out of socket to get to the registration table. Beautiful dresses and tuxedos were everywhere. You could smell the money in this place. I heard hushed whispers as we walked by to get to the table, whether or not they were about me, I have no idea. I felt so out of my element amongst the crowd, I am nowhere near the net worth of 99.9% of these people. Yet, it was the grand crystal chandelier that really kept my attention as Laura checked us in.

"Hank Jones and guest." She said to the man behind the table. He was small, slender, and had a young Hugh Jackman look to him.

"I need Mr. Jones here, madam." He replied. His voice did not match his face at all. The soft light-spoken voice of a boy no older than sixteen came out of this guy.

"My father is in Fiji. I am here on his behalf." Laura sounded slightly offended that she needed to explain herself.

"I'm sorry, madam. I cannot verify your tickets without Mr. Jones present." He explained in a guilty tone.

"EXCUSE ME?!" She yelled. _Oh God, she's offended now._ "DO YOU NOT KNOW WHO I AM?"

"I'm sorry, mad-."

"DON'T TELL ME YOU ARE SORRY! I WANT TO SEE YOUR BOSS NOW!" With that, the boy ran off through the door behind him. My face turned so red from this ordeal. Everyone in the hall was looking at us. Laura didn't care about making a scene. She was a theater major after all. Her family was well-known in Georgia; I'm guessing New York hadn't heard about them. Luckily, it only lasted a moment before people resumed their conversations.

"You definitely have your momma's temper." I muttered.

"I don't like to explain myself to people who should already know who my daddy and family are." She made a good point. Hank was making a name for himself with his investment and possible high ranking job in Kaiba Corp. He knew that by investing his interests and a decent amount of money with a Fortune 500 company would solidify his daughter's inheritance. Personally, I just felt bad for the registration guy.

"Well, I know that temper anywhere." A voice came from the crowd. Through a small group of on-lookers, a beautiful blonde emerged. Her dress was long and draped over her body in the most flattering of ways, her hair was full of volume as it loosely fell around her face, her eyes were a soft violet. I recognized her, but I couldn't remember where from.

"Mai!" Laura smiled. She wrapped her arms around Mai and gave her a hug as if she hadn't seen her ages. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"All world ranked duelists receive an invitation. I know that it's a way Kaiba keeps tabs on the power rankings. Only the top 10 are allowed to be here." She explained.

"I knew I recognized you! You were a finalist at Duelist Kingdom, and also in the Battle City tournament." I excited stated. She just stared at me blankly. I could feel my face turning red again.

"Oh, my. My time in New York has made me forget my manners! Mai, darling, this is Andrea Masters. Andrea, Mai Valentine." Laura had this way of diffusing my embarrassment. Mai smiled and shook my hand.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come off as a fangirl. I just love Duel Monsters, and watching the tournaments was my favorite pastime when I lived in Lexington." I explained, thinking that it would salvage any dignity I had left.

"No, you're fine. Just wasn't sure if we had met before or not." She laughed.

"Well, Mai, I have to give this guy a piece of my mind. We'll catch up when the auction starts, ok? Save me and Andrea a good spot." Laura said as she caught a glimpse of our unfortunate registration host returning with his boss.

"No problem. Don't lay into him too bad." Mai quickly disappeared into the crowd as Laura and I turned to face the head of security.

"What seems to be the problem, madam?" he asked. He was a shorter guy, maybe 5' 7''. His long black hair ran down his back, bangs covered his deep violet eyes. He seemed soft-spoken, and his demeanor did not appear to be that of an early 20-something.

"The problem is this guy won't allow me and my guest into the ball because my dad isn't here along with us." Laura coldly explained.

"Your father is?" he asked sincerely.

"Hank Jones, of Jones & Lancaster Insurance. The newest partner of Kaiba Corp."

"Hold on, one moment, please." He whispered into an ear piece and waited a few seconds before another whisper. "Right, okay. Ms. Jones, I'm sorry for the inconvenience. My brother and I would like to apologize on behalf of Kaiba Corp."

"And who is your brother?" I asked quietly. I knew Laura could care less about who he was, just as long as she got her way.

"Someone who doesn't deal with whiney people like her." He whispered in my ear while pointing at Laura who was lost in her own reflection in the hallway mirror. "He wouldn't have let her in because of her attitude, even if her dad is about to be head of his insurance department. However, unlike my brother, I am more level-headed and understanding of people's emotions."

"Wait, your brother is…"

"Mr. Kaiba, we need you in the control room." A guard shouted from the door behind the table.

"I'll be right there." He replied. Before he turned to walk away, he handed me two small envelopes. "Here, these will allow you two inside. The guard at the entrance will show you what to do with them. By the way, my name is Mokuba." In a split second, he was gone. It was like he knew what my next question was going to be, and answered it with saying his name.

"So that's Seto Kaiba's brother. Nice guy." I said softly to myself. I took the two envelopes and grabbed Laura by the arm. "Come on, we're in."

"So dumb that we had to even wait in the first place." Laura stated.

"Be careful, Laura. You're sounding like a royal brat."

"That's only because I am starving. I'm ready to munch on h'orderves."

"Don't worry, I'm sure they'll be plenty." I joked as I poked her stomach lightly. We entered the grand ballroom and was directed to the far right corner. The table was decorated with white and blue roses, a string of white lights under sheer netting, and 4 medium boxes. On each box, there was a Duel monster drawn on the lid. Laura and I looked at each other in confusion, but our thoughts were interrupted when the woman at the end of the table spoke.

"Do you have your envelopes, ladies?"

"Yes, of course." I pulled out the two envelopes from my clutch and handed Laura hers.

"Inside is a donation card. You write the amount of money you wish to donate to the children's fund, along with your name. Once all the cards have been collected, I will take them and add the total amount together. Afterwards, I will cross out the numerical amount and place the cards back into the boxes. This is to keep your donations confidential." She explained.

"Sounds simple enough." Laura stated as she handed me a pen.

"Laura, I don't have any money, remember? Or at least enough to feel like I'd make a difference."

"It's fine, just put on the card 'Care of Hank Jones' under or next to your name. Daddy claims you as his unofficial daughter, so he will donate whatever you put down. I'm putting $300,000."

"I don't feel comfortable writing a large amount." I shyly stated.

"Just put $300,000. Daddy told me that as long as we don't go over his net worth, we're fine. Remember, he's worth more than $600,000."

"Still not comfortable with it."

"I know, but it's for a great cause." She reassured me. As I put my pen back into the cup, the woman spoke again.

"Now, select a box. Each box has its own grand prize with it. Each is its own surprise that will be revealed by the champion they are associated with."

"Who are the champions?" I asked.

"That is to remain a mystery until the end of the auction. Please choose your Duel monster and insert your card." There were 4 boxes. 4 prizes of unknown size and value. The only indicator of the boxes were their drawings: Harpie Lady, Dark Magician, Red Archery Girl, and Blue Eyes White Dragon.

"Done!" With a kiss, Laura slipped her card into the Dark Magician box.

"Why that one?" I laughed.

"He's wearing purple, my favorite color, duh!" Laura knows what she likes, and the color purple is definitely one of them. Following her suit, I kissed my card for luck and dropped it into my dragon box.


	3. The Auction

Time seemed to fly as Laura and I danced, drank wine, and mingled with the socialites of New York. I never felt more awkward in a room of strangers in my life; except for the day I auditioned for my Juilliard scholarship. However, with Laura by my side, I was able to blend-in somewhat effortlessly amongst the wealth. Hearing stories of European vacations, new villa purchases around the world, even exclusive A-list parties, I never knew how easy being "rich" could come to people. For me, being rich was never a goal. Making sure to follow my heart and my dreams was always what dad drilled into my head. Now, just 3 months shy of graduating from Juilliard, I have never been more determined to finish my degree and go back to the place I love: my old Kentucky home.

"What about you, Andrea? What have you done since you came to New York?" one of the socialites asked. She had a very curious tone in her words.

"Honestly, all I do is study and practice. I hardly go out, unless Laura takes me. I prefer to keep a low profile."

"That sounds so incredibly dull." Another socialite chimed in. He looked like the type who had a lawyer for a daddy and had a silver spoon in his mouth since he was born.

"Colton, don't be such a dick." Laura scolded. At least she understood me; she knew how much of a hard worker I was, knowing I didn't come from money. At first, I always though she took pity on me, but over the years I came to understand that she's a caring heart (but only to those she chooses to befriend).

"Seriously, Laura, you have a dull roommate." Colton stated. I felt my heart sink and knots form in my stomach from that statement. I knew I was a workaholic, but I never thought of myself as dull.

"Colton, enough! I asked her what she has done since she came here and now I know. You are being an ass." the lady socialite said. She was definitely nicer than Colton, but still had a certain arrogance to her.

"Thank you, Jenny. You took the words right out of my mouth." Laura added, as she gave me the "one-arm side" hug.

I gave her a half-hearted smile and quietly excused myself to go get another drink. Laura and Jenny continued to talk about shopping in Paris as the conversation faded into the total noise of the room. I approached the bar, eyeing the bartender to get me another white zin. I needed it after that horrible ordeal. I took the glass from the bartender as I felt another person come up beside me.

"Not your kind of scene, I'm guessing." he said.

"How could you tell?" I asked sarcastically without looking at him, taking another sip of my wine.

"Not really my scene either. It would be easier if my friends were here. However, since they are not, would you care to join me in saving ourselves from social awkwardness?"

I turned to give this guy a great sarcastic comeback, but stopped dead in my tracks when I saw who it was. My mouth went dry and my face grew red again.

"So, do I take this as a yes?" he reached out his hand and took mine. I was awestruck. His eyes were a beautiful violet, his voice as entrancing as Josh Turner's, his smile as charming as ever. He led me to the dance floor as the band began to play "Sway" by Dean Martin. "Ready?" he asked.

"Yes, Mr. Moto." I dryly replied.

"Call me Yugi."

I felt my body move across the floor effortlessly in his arms, I just let my mind wonder and let my passion for dance escape. All eyes were on us, or least that's how it felt, seeing as we were the only ones on the dance floor. As the last note played, Yugi dipped and raised me slowly. Applause erupted as we finished.

"You know, you're taller than I expected." I joked as he released my waist. He smiled and kissed my hand. I swear I could get lost in his eyes.

"You're not the first one to tell me that. I think it's just my 'other self' that many are used to seeing." He winked and turned into the crowd. Disappearing before my eyes. _What a mystery the King of Games is_.

"Andrea! You were dancing with Yugi Moto! You danced with your idol!" Laura squealed in my ear as she came up behind me.

"He's not my idol. However, someone I do admire for their talents, for sure." I replied, rubbing my ear to dull the ringing I was experiencing from her squeal.

"He's so hot! Lucky girl, hopefully you'll see him again at some point tonight. Or maybe I will, I wouldn't mind that either. But remember, you're lip locking with someone." I just rolled my eyes and laughed. Yugi Moto was the King of Games, I doubt the man had any interest in me; though the thought was very appealing. Laura was looking atop the crowd for someone, she was scanning the room. "Where is Mai? We haven't seen her for a while."

"I'm sure she'll turn up. Can't really keep her personality quiet. She's like you in that aspect!" I laughed as I nudged Laura in the arm. Our laughter was interrupted by some minor feedback from the microphone the announcer was holding at the podium near the front of the room.

"Apologizes for the feedback. Welcome, ladies and gentlemen to the 3rd annual KC children's charity ball." A round of applause erupted as she continued to speak. "My name is Claire Williams, and as CFO of Kaiba Corp, I would like to personally thank you for your donations this evening. With all your combined efforts, we have raised 5 million dollars for the children centers within our company's domain; a grand total of 500 centers across the United States." Another wave of applause erupted. _5 million dollars?! What in the world do these people do as employment?!_ "Thanks to your efforts, Kaiba Corp is able to give each center a generous amount of money to care for the orphaned or foster children they have in their care."

Claire was beautiful. Her brunette hair was in a sleek high bun, her dress showed off her lovely neckline that was adorned with a diamond choker. Her dress was a dark navy and flattered her immensely; this woman was intimidating just by looks alone. Her eyes were crystal blue and her voice was soft yet commanding as she continued her speech.

"The children centers are close to Kaiba Corp's heart as they are seen as a shelter for future duelists. Our drive to give these children a better chance at life is one reason Mr. Kaiba furthers his advancements in his dueling technology, as well as dueling education at Duel Academy. On behalf of Mr. Kaiba, we thank you again for your generous contributions. Now, we move to the fun part: the champion prizes!" Claire turned around to a table behind her with the 4 boxes from before. She had an assistant hold the microphone as she reached inside the first box.

"Okay, now each box represents a champion of Mr. Mokuba Kaiba's choosing. The prize for each champion is a night out on the town with dinner included **OR** a duel inside Kaiba Corp's newest virtual dueling arena." My heart was pounding at the thought of dueling in that arena. My childhood dream was to always face off against a world champion in a duel, but given my lack of funds it never came true.

"Our first winner, from the Harpie Lady box, is…Donathan Adams! Please come to the stage." Claire exclaimed. The crowd applauded as Donathan walked to the stage.

"Donathan is a nice guy. He's a theater major like me." Laura whispered in my ear.

"Congratulations, Donathan. Time to meet your champion, Mai Valentine!" Claire waved her arm to the red curtains behind her. As they opened, Mai appeared and walked up to meet Donathan.

"Well, there's Mai." I chuckled.

"Now, I understand why I couldn't find her." Laura replied.

"So, Donathan, a night on the town or a duel against Mai?" Claire asked, trying to keep everything light-hearted and fun.

"Uh…uh…" Donathan stammered. I couldn't blame him for being nervous, Mai was intimidating either way. So realistically, he would be nervous no matter what.

"Oh, come on, hun. You have to pick one." Mai sweetly chimed in. I couldn't really tell from where I was standing but I thought I saw her wink at him.

"I choose a night out." he finally said. A round of applause was sustained as both Donathan and Mai exited the stage.

"Up next: Red Archery Girl. Our winner is…Annetta Williamson!" Claire announced. As Annetta waited on stage for her champion to be introduced, Mokuba ran on stage with a microphone.

"Hello, Annetta. I'm sorry but unfortunately Mr. Pegasus was unable to fly in this evening. He has offered you a 2 night stay at his resort in the Caribbean as an alternative prize, if you'd like." He explained.

"A weekend on the warm sands of the Caribbean? Sold!" she replied happily.

"Fantastic, and again, apologizes." He stated as they both walked off the stage to a round of applause.

"Only 2 boxes left! Our Dark Magician winner is…Laura Jones!" Laura screamed slightly as Claire called her name. She practically ran to the stage, surprising given the heels she was wearing.

"Now, introducing your champion: Yugi Moto!" I swear I could hear Laura "swoon" from where I was standing. Her eyes just lit up and her smile was from ear-to-ear. Before Yugi could even get a word out, Laura grabbed his hand and pulled him close.

"Dinner and a night with you is exactly what the doctor ordered." Laura devilishly grinned. Yugi seemed to mirror her smile. He nodded and they walked off stage together.

"Alright, everyone. Last box!" Claire stated as she reached in the final box. My heart was really pounding now. This was the box I picked, the one that was my favorite. I knew the chances of me winning were slim, but I still couldn't help but to get nervous. I swear I was about to get sick. _What if I win? Who is the champion?_

"The Blue Eyes White Dragon winner is…"


	4. A Cold Encounter

_What am I doing here? I shouldn't be here. This isn't real. How did this happen? I should have taken the duel._

"Ms. Masters." The limo driver interrupted my thoughts. I was staring out the other window in the back of the limo that I didn't even realize we had stopped and that he was holding the door open for me.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Lost in thought over here." I chuckled, trying to brush off the fact I was nervous as hell to get out of the limo.

"It's alright, ma'am. We're here." He reached out his hand for me as I stepped onto the sidewalk. The frigid winter air chilled me to the core, probably because I was wearing a dress. _Note to self: never listen to Laura about wearing a dress on a date if the temperature is lower than your age_. I was quickly escorted inside the restaurant. The red and gold accents on the plum colored walls gave this place a warm yet seductive atmosphere. A young blonde was standing behind the podium.

"Good evening, do you have a reservation?" she asked. She seemed nice for a hostess, but appeared to have the same snobby attitude as hostesses I had experienced in the past.

"Yes, but I'm not sure what it is under." I replied shyly.

"Not a problem, ma'am. What is your last name?"

"Masters."

"Hmm, no. I have no reservations under that name. Could it be under a different name?"

"Um…try 'Kaiba' or 'Kaiba Corp'. That is the only other name that I can think of." I replied even more quietly than the first time.

She looked at me as if I was joking. _Honestly, I wish I was_. She shook her head and let out a slight chuckle of sarcasm (essentially saying "Sure, honey. I'm really sure you're here with him.") as she looked for his name. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped as she got to the top of the second page. _Believe me, sweetheart. I'm just as shocked as you, and I'm the one on a date with him. Well, not a "date", but yeah_.

"Uh…right this way, Ms. Masters." She said as she directed me to the back of the restaurant. She was walking fast; I was trying to keep up without tripping over my heels. Luckily, they were shorter than the ones I wore to the ball, but they were still high for my own liking. She led me to a small room with a black door. Inside, there was a table with candles, 2 sets of china and silverware, soft lamp lighting against the crimson paint, and soft instrumental music playing from a hidden speaker. _Wow, nice room_.

"This is our private dining room. Enjoy your meal, please let me know if there is anything you need." She explained.

"Thank you, I will." She turned and exited the room very quickly. _Okay? Why the sudden exit?_

"Good evening, madam. May I take your coat?" a waiter appeared from behind two plum-colored drawn curtains.

"Oh, yes. Of course." I turned to let him take my coat as I heard a stern voice come from behind another set of drawn curtains.

"About time you showed up." He walked through the curtains. He was wearing a dark blue suit with a white button down, his sapphire eyes looked almost midnight blue in the dim lighting, his hair fell gracefully on his face. _Wow!_ As our waiter pulled out my chair for me to sit, Kaiba sat as well. "I don't like to wait."

"I'm sorry. The roads were bad about two miles out from my house." I said apologetically. The last thing I wanted to do was piss him off. He just scoffed and began to look at the wine menu.

"May I get you any wine this evening?" the waiter asked.

"No, I'm just looking at the listings for my own reading material." Kaiba replied condescendingly.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Kaiba." He stammered.

"Whatever. I'll take a Pinot Noir, 2009." He scoffed.

"Yes, sir. For you, madam?"

"A white zin would be lovely, thank you." I replied sweetly, trying to dull the sting of Kaiba's harsh tone.

"Yes, madam." He turned and walked through his curtain entrance.

"No need to be condescending." I stated as I glanced at the dinner menu.

"It's not my fault he asked a stupid question." Kaiba retorted, looking at his menu like I was.

"I would rather have him ask then assume that I would want a drink."

"This is one of my favorite places to eat. They KNOW I order wine with my meal." He rudely explained, as if it justified his actions.

"Maybe he's new."

"Still no excuse for his stupid question."

"Still no excuse for you being an ass, either." I retorted.

"I'm an ass?" he asked almost shocked.

"Yes, very much so at the moment." I replied, mocking is tone. _Great. Now I have to spend my birthday eve with this jerk when I could have just dueled him and gotten it over with_.

"You're very bold to be so direct to me." He stated in an amused tone. He smirked ever so slightly, though in the dim light, you wouldn't have been able to tell.

"I'm not scared to stand up to bullies. Being Seto Kaiba doesn't change that fact. The only reason I am here tonight is because three days ago, my name was drawn from that box and I was too nervous to say that I wanted to duel you. So I chose dinner instead."

"You had every right to be nervous to duel me." He chuckled as he took a sip of his water. _Wow, what an ego on this guy. To think, I actually admired him…for his talents anyway_.

"Just because you are a world ranked duelist doesn't mean you should let your ego show."

"I don't have an ego, I just show everyone that I am superior to them as a duelist and businessman." _Right, no ego_. He had a sense of arrogance with that statement. Though I wanted to scold him for it, I knew it wouldn't get anywhere. I just let him sit there in his own pride as I contemplated what I wanted for dinner. Our waiter returned rather quickly with our drinks. He placed Kaiba's glass in front of him rather nervously, the glass nearly tipped if it weren't for a strong recovery on his part. I smiled at him to give him comfort, knowing that if that wine were to have spilled, it would be his job.

"May I take your order?" he politely asked as he set my wine down.

"Filet mignon, medium rare. Foir gras on the side, broccoli instead of asparagus. No glaze on my sweet potatoes." Kaiba ordered. His tone was quick and short, as if he was inconvenienced in telling the waiter his order.

"Yes, sir. For you, madam?" he turned to me.

"Yes, I would like…what was your name again?"

"Trevor, madam."

"Alright, Trevor. I would like exactly what Mr. Kaiba is having except that I would like my steak medium, as well as I would like the glaze on my potatoes." I smiled.

"Yes, madam." Trevor replied with an equally as big smile. I think he preferred to speak to me than Kaiba. I didn't blame him at all.

"Thank you." I whispered as I handed him my menu. Kaiba didn't even look up as he handed Trevor his. _God, the nerve of this guy. That's no way to treat staff_.

"So." I stated, resting my chin on my folded hands as my elbows rested on the table _. I guess I can attempt to make conversation with him. I do have to spend the evening with him._

"So what?" he replied as he looked at his phone.

"What are the plans for the evening?" I asked curiously.

"This was not my idea, so I do not know. My CFO and brother thought this would be a good way to reward those that donated to the children centers." He explained mono-toned. He almost seemed truly annoyed with the idea of spending an evening out with a person like me. "So, honestly Amanda. If you want a night out, you have to plan it."

"Andrea." I said slightly annoyed.

"What?"

"My name is Andrea. Even if we don't have any plans after dinner, could you please at least get my name right?"

"Fine. Andrea." He rolled his eyes and took a sip of his wine. He was looking at his phone again, thumbing through messages and replying to a select few.

"Why did your CFO and brother put you up to this?"

"What do you mean 'put me up to this'?" he questioned.

"You obviously seem annoyed to be here with me. Why didn't your brother or someone else come in your place? You didn't have to be the one to fulfill the prize requirement." I stated confidently.

"The prize for the box was an evening out with or a duel against a world champion. There is no one better to represent Kaiba Corp than its CEO and president, the greatest duelist there is." He replied proudly.

"Second greatest." I quietly retorted as I took a sip of my wine.

"Excuse me?" he sounded offended. _Oh, I touched a nerve. Let's have some fun with that ego._

"You're the second greatest duelist." I said confidently yet mono-toned.

"I AM the world's greatest duelist!" he raised his voice. _Oh, getting upset are we, Kaiba?_

"Second." I calmly stated, though I couldn't hide my smirk.

"Who do you possibly think is better than me, Seto Kaiba?" he basically shouted. _Really, Kaiba? Third person?_

"Yugi Moto." I replied. Kaiba recoiled a bit. _Taken back, are we?_ A bitter sneer flashed on his face, yet he didn't have a comeback. As soon as I was about to speak again, Trevor came through the curtains with our food.

"Please, enjoy the meal." He said as he set our plates in front of us. Everything smelled and looked fantastic. Trevor exited the room yet again, so once more I was alone with Kaiba.

"You are a phenomenal duelist, Kaiba. One I've admired for years. It was always a dream of mine to duel you." I looked up from my plate; he was staring off as he was chewing his steak. _Wow, he looks incredible. Whoa! Control yourself, Andrea_. "Kaiba, I'm sorry if I offended you." _God, I'm weak. I can't be mean for longer than five minutes_.

He didn't say anything. He just continued to stare off and eat. Take a bite, chew, stare off into space, and repeat. Needless to say, this was the quietest dinner I have ever had. Trevor removed our empty plates and replaced them with a small dessert: cheesecake. _Yes! My favorite!_ My eyes lit up and I couldn't contain my smile.

"A treat from our chef. He hopes you enjoyed your meal and hopes you'll come again." Trevor explained. As he turned to walk away, I grabbed his arm.

"Hey."

"Yes, madam?" He asked, surprised that I reached for him.

"Here. This is for you." I replied, slipping a $20 bill into his hand.

"Oh no, madam. I can't accept this." He tried to hand it back, but I held my hand up to stop him.

"No, I insist. I know what it's like to work as a waitress. Believe me; I know every little it helps." I smiled at him to assure him it was okay. He was hesitant but eventually smiled and put the bill in his pocket as he walked off. All the while, Kaiba was watching this interaction with intrigued curiosity. We caught each other's glance as I turned back to enjoy my cheesecake.

"What?" I asked, grabbing my spoon to take my first bite.

"Why did you do that?" he asked, almost dumbfounded.

"What? Tip him?"

He nodded.

"I know what serving is like. Every little bit helps."

"You do know they calculate the tip in with the bill, right?"

"Even more reason to tip him. A nice surprise to help him along." I retorted, taking another bite. _Man, this cheesecake is awesome!_

Kaiba just chuckled and shook his head. He glanced over my shoulder and raised his arm. A moment later, Trevor appeared with the checkbook. Taking Kaiba's card, Trevor vanished behind the curtains again. I looked up at Kaiba from my empty plate. _Geez Andrea. Way to be a fat kid_. He was sending a message to his brother. He caught my stare, so I quickly looked away.

"Alright, grab your coat. Time to go." Kaiba ordered as he stood up. I looked at him with a confused look, but then Trevor showed up again with the checkbook, a box, and my coat.

"Here you are, Mr. Kaiba." He said, handing him the checkbook. Trevor quickly boxed up Kaiba's uneaten cheesecake, and helped me put on my coat. I thanked him and turned to exit the room, Kaiba followed shortly after. "Enjoy the rest of your night!" Trevor said before the door closed.

Walking out to the limo, the cold air hit me like a cold brick wall. I shivered instantly. The limo driver had the door opened for us, we quickly climbed in.

"So, have you decided whether or not to end this evening?" Kaiba asked. He leaned back against the seat, stretching his arms across the leather. He stared at me, with a look that was a mix of annoyance and intrigue.

"Actually, I have."


	5. Enigma

"Really?" he questioned.

"Are you honestly that surprised?" I retorted, holding my cup of apple cider for warmth.

"I would have thought you were a theater major."

"No, that's Laura. I chose dance as my major because it was what I wanted to do, plus my parents wanted me to. On the side for some extra cash, I shoot photography." I smiled slightly at the thought of my mom. "My mom was a beautiful dancer, and she passed that passion down to me. Dad's photography business was small, but it kept us afloat as I grew up. I picked up a camera when I was 13 and started with landscapes and animals, slowing working my way up to portraits."

"So, how did you end up at Juilliard?" Kaiba took a sip of his coffee before leaning back into the booth cushion.

"Well, my dad encouraged me to audition. I was originally going to go to the University of Kentucky for a duel major in business finance and graphic design, but he wanted me to pursue something that I was passionate about; something that I loved. Dancing is a way for me to remember my mother, and I couldn't think of a better school for dance than Juilliard. Honestly, the hardest part was getting the recommendations."

"Yet, here you are; 3 months shy of being a Juilliard graduate." I looked at him with a weary smile. I didn't know if he was being sarcastic or sincere. He took another sip of his coffee and stared out the window. It had begun to snow, the flakes melting against the diner's windows. _Could he be any more of an enigma? First, he's a jerk. Now, he's being nice. Pick a mood! *sigh* Kaiba, you are definitely a curious case_.

"Your turn." I stated.

"Not much to know about me that you can't read in the tabloids." He replied, trying to deflect my statement.

"Yes, I do know about you as far as what the world already knows. Lost your parents at a young age, you and Mokuba were adopted by Gozaburo Kaiba after you beat him in a chess match; later, you then took over Kaiba Corp and turned it into a fortune 500 international gaming company."

"See? Nothing much else to know." He said coldly. He turned slightly in his seat, his body language signaling that he was getting uncomfortable with the topic. "Besides, I don't like people knowing my personal life."

"Fair enough. A man in your position cannot afford scandals or leaked information. Privacy is priority." I concurred.

"Exactly."

"So, I want to play a game with you." I stated. He looked at me confused. "Kind of like 20 questions, but only 5. Simple yes or no answers, no prying for deeper answers. This is to ask honest questions which you'd like to know the answer. Deal?"

He nodded.

"Alright, first question: did you feel that tonight was a waste of time?"

"Yes." He replied quickly. _Ouch! Well, way to bring the mood down_.

"Do you still feel that way?" I tried to hide my defeated tone under a hint of curiosity.

"No." _Really?_ I sat up a little and smiled slightly.

"Oh, alright. Question #3: May I photograph you for my portfolio? I don't have many male subjects." I asked shyly. He shot me a quizzical look, pausing for a moment before he replied. _Oh, God. Did I really just ask him that? Geez, Andrea, he just said that he liked his privacy and now you are asking to shoot photos of him. *internal face-palm*_

"Professional or causal?" he asked.

"Either, but preferably casual. My portfolio is too structured with headshots and studio photos. I was hoping to add more diversity with more relaxed shots." Again, he paused before he responded. My stomach was in the biggest knot. _Andrea, you know he likes his privacy, why in the hell would you ask to take his picture?_ I looked away in embarrassment, I could feel my face turn red.

"Yes," he stated, "but professional at the office. I'm sure Claire would love some updated photos for publication." _Claire? Oh, right. His CFO. Why would she care about publication photos?_

"Alright, I'll call your office tomorrow to set a time." I said as I took the final sip of my cider. A sigh of relief escaped me. _He said yes, Andrea. Don't push for casual._

"No need, when are you free? I can clear my minor meetings if need be." He pulled out his phone and began flipping through his calendar.

"Since I'm still in class for another 3 months, weekends work best for me."

"Saturday, the 7th?"

"That works."

"The office is closed, so it should be easy to shoot without being disturbed. Mokuba can show you where to set up."

"Won't security wonder why you are in the office on a weekend?" I jokingly questioned.

He looked at me with a stern face, his eyes piercing my words. "I am always at the office, I never take a day off."

"It was a joke, I'm sorry."

"If there are a few things in this world I don't joke about, my company is one of them."

"You are a very hands-on CEO." I commented.

"It's MY company. I trust no one else to handle its production." He replied coldly. _Getting whiplash over here. Please stop flipping your mood_.

"Well, you are lucky. I really don't have any more pressing questions I want to ask." I chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. I looked at my watch, 11:58 pm. "Two more minutes." I mumbled.

"Until what?" I looked up with slight surprise. _I can't believe he heard me_. He looked at me, somewhat confused and asked again, "Until what?"

"My birthday."

"March 1st, huh?"

I nodded.

"Well, then." He reached into his pocket and produced a $10 bill. He placed it on the table and stood up. He put on his coat and looked back at me, "Time to go." He stated. I didn't argue, especially since I was tired. I put on my coat and began to walk out of the diner.

"Goodnight, Ms. Andrea!" Mrs. Burn called from behind the kitchen window. I turned and waved goodbye to her. _Such a sweet woman. I'm sure when I see her tomorrow, she'll ask me all kinds of questions_. As we exited the diner, a gust of wind hit us. I shivered as I bolted for the open limo door. The driver shut the door as Kaiba got in, the heat felt so good on my bare legs.

"Where to, Mr. Kaiba?" the driver called through the window.

"Time to take the girl home." He ordered.

"Yes, sir."

"Time to call it a night?" I asked, somewhat disappointed. _Damn, time's up, Andrea. Oh, well. At least you can see him again next week._

"Our night out is done. Besides, I doubt you want to spend the first half of your birthday with me." _At first, I would have agreed. But now…_

The 15 minute drive seemed to pass almost in an instant as the limo pulled up to my driveway. The light dusting of snow made my little house seem to sparkle in the moonlight. The salt on the ground crunched under the tires. The living-room light was on, so I knew Laura was still awake.

"So, this is home?" Kaiba looked out the window. Though the house was small, it was perfect for two female college roommates. I smiled as I got out of the limo.

"Goodnight, Kaiba. Thank you for the night out. I know it wasn't very exciting." I said as I turned back towards the limo.

"It was a good time, Andrea. I'll see you next week." He replied through the open window. As I turned to walk away, Kaiba shouted, "Hey!"

I glanced back. "Happy birthday." He smiled. I smiled and waved goodbye as he rolled up the window and drove off into the night.

"Oh yes, a happy birthday, indeed." I whispered to myself as I approached my door. _Don't even go there, Andrea. He's out of your league._

I slowly opened the door and peeked my head inside before entering the house. I don't know why I did it; I already knew Laura was awake. Force of habit, I suppose, from sneaking in late when I lived back home. In the living-room, Laura was wrapped in her blanket, watching her shows. I could see her pink "Diva Princess" pajama pants around her foot, peeking out from under the blanket. _Those pants are so fitting._

"Did Dean become a demon or no?" I asked as I closed the door. I kicked off my heels and walked into the living-room, plopping down into the loveseat across from Laura.

"Oh, my God, yes! He is so hot, and seeing him with an 'I don't give a shit' attitude is even hotter!" Laura fan-girled. She turned on the couch, re-positioning herself so that she was squared up to me. I swear she was nearly out of her seat with curiosity as she eagerly asked, "So, what was he like?!"

I told her how the night went. How when we were at the restaurant that he acted like a total ass, how when I put his ego somewhat in place, how at the diner he was sweeter. She hung onto my every word, with a doe-eyed wonder look on her face. _Geez, Laura. It's like you've never seen me go out with someone before…well not "go out", but you know what I mean_.

"Andrea, did you kiss him?" She asked as I wrapped up my story.

"What?! No." I replied, shocked and slightly offended. _Why would I want to kiss Kaiba? I mean…he does have some luscious lips….SNAP OUT OF IT, ANDREA_!

"Lame! Ugh! You should have stolen one." Laura leaned back into the corner of the couch. "Seriously, Andrea. We need to find you a man. I feel like I'm failing you as a friend when I am the one getting any action and you're not."

"Well, Laura. Though I love you, I am not you. I do not need a man." I chuckled. "Besides, I am too wrapped with making sure I graduate to be distracted by men."

"Lady, you need to let loose!"

"I thought you were doing that for me?" I smirked. Her mouth dropped, she was speechless. "Oh, you know I'm kidding, geez!"

"You're a bitch." She laughed.

"Would you love me any other way?" I retorted sarcastically. She shook her head and went back to her show. I sighed, got up from the loveseat, and headed up the stairs to my room. _Time to get out of this dress_.

The moonlight was shining through my curtains as I turned out the lights. My sheets felt so soft as I crawled into bed. I looked at the clock, 1:16 am. I hummed "Happy birthday to me" as I closed my eyes. Drifting off into the world of dreams, I sighed happily. _A big day tomorrow…today…and an even bigger day next week_.

 **The roar is getting louder; I keep on running toward it.** _ **I know that roar, where are you?**_ **I come to a stop at the edge of the cliff, I look down. The gorge is still as beautiful as I remember. Another roar echoes across the gorge.** _ **Where are you, dragon? I hear you**_ **. I turn around and begin running again, hoping to find this dragon. Suddenly, my world changes around me, I stop in my tracks. From the gorge, I am transported to a meadow. The waves of hay dancing in the wind. I look up, I see a white stable. Another roar from the dragon echoes over the meadow, it's coming from the stable. I slowly approach the sliding door, opening it with caution. There she was, her blue eyes staring at me. She was gorgeous, her body a shimmering white silver.** _ **Blue Eyes, why are you here?**_ **I reached out to touch her, slowly raising my hand to her snout. She let out a low growl, and then sighed as she placed her snout against my palm.** _ **You're so beautiful, but why are you here?**_ **As I took a step back, I bumped into something, or rather: someone. I turned quickly to see…**


	6. Uncharted Territory

**Finally updated! Please enjoy!**

The blaring music of my alarm clock woke me from my sleep. I swear I jumped 5 feet in the air, my heart racing as I sat up in my bed. _Jesus, I thought I turned that damn thing off_. I looked over at the evil box: 8:30 a.m. _UGH! I'm going back to sleep_. I hit the "alarm off" button on the clock and buried my face back into my pillow. _Ah, hello pillow. You are so soft_. I had just begun to drift back into sleep when Laura came bursting through my door with a vengeance.

"HAPPY QUARTER-LIFE!" she screamed as she jumped on my bed. She tried to pull the covers off of me, but I grabbed them and held on tight.

"Ugh! Go away! I want more sleep." I groaned from under my sheets.

"Andrea, get up. You are going to be late for your session with Marcus." Laura scolded, but in a playful tone.

"Remind me again why I scheduled a morning tattoo appointment." I sighed as I pulled my head above my sheets.

"Marcus is impossible to get sessions with, you know this. Now, get up. We need to leave in like 20 minutes. I'm going to go warm up the car." Laura stated. _She's right. Marcus' availability is already booked through July. Lucky that she was able to persuade him to do my birthday tattoo in the morning before business hours. Perks of a promiscuous roommate, I suppose_.

I pulled myself out of bed and quickly changed into my hoodie and loose sweatpants. Laura was honking the horn as I put on my shoes to head out the door. Getting into the car, her music was blaring as usual. She double-checked her make-up in the mirror before heading down the road. _Don't worry, Marcus will still drool over you_. I rolled my eyes then stared out the window, my dreams plaguing my thoughts. _Who was that in my dream?_

We pulled up to Marcus' shop about 9:10 a.m. The "open" sign wasn't on, but we could see him through the window. Laura waved frantically as he walked to the door to let us in. The room was decked out like any other tattoo parlor. Giant posters hung on the wall of "standard tattoos" that people could choose from, 3 of the 4 walls were covered with full-length mirrors. Each artists' stations were well-kept and organized. I sighed as Marcus pointed to the middle table against the far wall. I walked over to the table, the leather was cold as I laid down on my back. Marcus placed the decal on my hip, the design was perfect. It took him about 10 minutes to make sure that everything was set-up and ready to go, but I didn't mind. I could have fallen asleep on that table, in all honesty. Marcus didn't really say much, except asking if I was alright or if I needed a break. I would tell him no and just stare at the ceiling, daydreaming; all the while, Laura was talking Marcus' ear off with random stories about her life in Georgia.

The next thing I knew, it was nearly 10 a.m. Marcus wrapped my hip with the bandage and handed me my "care of your tattoo" paper. I thanked him for his time and handed him his money. _Not a bad deal: $80 for a nice custom tattoo_. I slid off the table and headed for the door. I looked back to see Laura kissing Marcus; honestly, more like devouring his face with her open-mouthed kiss.

"Laura! Let's go. We have to get to the diner." I shouted, trying to interrupt the disturbing scene before my eyes. _Girl, I do not need to see this_.

"I'll see you later." Laura winked and smiled at Marcus as she came running up to me. We got into the car, I slowly lowered myself onto the seat. Surprisingly, it wasn't the tattoo that hurt, it was the bandage tape tugging on my skin.

"Does it really hurt that bad?" she asked as she started the car.

"No, I just want to make sure I don't move the bandage too much."

"Well, I'm glad you got it done."

"Thanks, but can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why do you string Marcus along like that? The man is clearly smitten with you."

"Oh," she pushed my arm, "He is nothing more than a fling. He and I both know this."

"You sure about that?" I stared out the window, watching the buildings pass.

"Yes, I'm sure. Besides, he still has a thing for his baby mama." Laura stated. Though I've only known her personally for 3 years, I worry about her like she's my blood sister. I was very fortunate to have met her when I did. My first roommate kicked me out after 2 years, all because her stupid boyfriend wanted me gone. I would have been screwed if Laura didn't offer her spare room me. We've been inseparable ever since.

"I can only imagine the trouble you used to get into before I moved in." I laughed.

"Not as much as you think, but yes, a decent amount." She laughed in reply. I knew she meant well, but I think her "wild girl" phase was just a way of getting under her dad's skin. I think it was my moving in with her that made her dad so open to include me into the family so quickly. I can keep an eye on her…for the most part. After about 20 minutes, we pulled into the diner parking lot, it was packed like every Sunday. The bell above the door jingled as we walked in. I waved to Mary as we sat at the high top counter. _Man, I do love this diner. It reminds me of home_.

"What can I get you, dear?" Mary asked, knowing all too well that I'm only going to get a water.

"Water, please."

She nodded, and turned to Laura, "For you, hun?"

"Coffee with cream and sugar for me, please." Laura replied. _She must be tired, she never orders coffee_. Mary walked to get our drinks and Jonas came up to see us. His big smile was noticeable from a mile away as he approached. She muttered under her breath, "That boy has got it bad."

"Shh!" I shook my head as he stopped in front of me. Jonas was a decent looking guy: about 5' 11", broad shoulders, a tangled mess of dark hair, emerald green eyes. It is surprising that he is single, but then again he had been engaged once. Obviously, that didn't end so well. He leaned on the counter, closer to me than Laura.

"Grandma said you were in here last night. Apparently, on a date or something." His voice had a tone of disappointment. His eyes never leaving my face. Laura snickered, so I gently kicked her under the stool.

"Not really a date, but yes I was here." I tried to make my voice as monotone as possible. I didn't want to sound too happy about my time with Kaiba.

"Hey Jonas, aren't you forgetting something?" Laura nudged me forward on the stool, laughing as I braced myself from hitting the ledge…or Jonas.

"Uh…" he stood there confused for a second. He was about to ask what, until Mary came from behind him, holding our drinks and a piece of cheesecake with a candle in it.

"Happy birthday, hun." She stated, placing the orders down in front of us.

"Thank you, Mary." I replied, blushing at her gesture, as well as at Jonas' 'oh, crap, I forgot' expression. I don't think I've ever seen his face turn that shade of red before.

"I'm sorry, Andrea. I forgot…happy birthday." Jonas said, embarrassed that he forgot his crush's birthday. _Honestly, Jonas, I'm kinda glad you forgot_.

"It's fine." I smiled, trying to comfort him. He walked off, checking on his tables and assisting Mary with food runs. Laura and I sat at the counter, eating the cheesecake that Mary had given me. We placed a $20 on the counter to cover everything, as well as leave a good tip for them.

"Hard to believe that's her son." Laura stated as she finished off her coffee.

"Agreed, but at least she's a mother who tries to provide for her son in the best way she can." I replied. The diner was a family-run business. Mrs. Burns is Mary's mother, and Jonas is her only grandchild. Needless to say, she loves having them work the diner with her.

"So, care to tell me about your dream?" Laura questioned, as if I was hiding something from her. Her question caught me off guard. _You heard me_?

"Why do you ask?"

"You've been talking in your sleep again. I can hear you through my wall. What's up?"

"Wh….what do I say?" I asked nervously. _Please don't say I cry out names_. My heart started to race and my palms became sweaty.

"You kept asking 'Where are you?' or 'I hear you.' Weird things to be shouting if you ask me."

"It's because I'm always looking for something. This time, I was at a gorge looking over the cliffs." I replied, my heart rate returning to normal.

"Still weird." She shrugged. _I agree, but I can't stop it_. This was the 3rd night in a row I've had the same dream. Each one, I got a little further. Hopefully, tonight I can finally make it to the end.

We waved goodbye to Mary and Jonas as we walked out of the diner. We got back to Laura's M3, my sweatpants sliding easily on the leather. The day was going fast-yet-slow, such a weird sensation. My daydreams seemed to make the day go by fast, yet it was only 11:30 a.m.

"So where to now, birthday girl?"

"I don't know. It's too cold to do anything outside."

"Ok, so pick somewhere where we can be inside." She pulled out of the diner's parking lot and turned towards downtown. Maybe she was hoping we'd go shopping, or to a movie. I sat there in my thoughts for what seemed like hours, the radio blaring out Usher's "Yeah". Laura drumming on the steering wheel, not giving a care in the world. After the song ended, I turned to her. A smirk appeared on my face as I told her where I wanted to go.

"Kaiba Corp Headquarters."

* * *

 _Jesus, can this elevator take any longer? Laura will have already finished shopping by the time I get there. And this is the only elevator to his office…fire hazard, much? Traveling up 30 floors does take time, but this is ridiculous._

Light classical music played over the speakers, the ding of the bell for each floor I passed echoed against the metal walls. _Andrea, you better know what you are doing_. The elevator finally came to a stop, the last ping of the bell chimed as the doors opened. Immediately in front of me was a large wrap-around desk with a pretty blonde behind it. She was on the computer, typing away; a headset was attached to her ear, she didn't even look up as I approached.

"Appointment?" She was short and crisp with her question, still not looking up at me.

"Uh, no…I don't have one." I shyly replied.

"Mr. Kaiba cannot be seen without an appointment." Still crisp and short, never removing her eyes or hands off the computer. _Rude, much?_

"I think Seto could make an exception for me." I smiled a little as I said his name. At the same time, she stopped clicking away on her keyboard. She looked up at me, her blue eyes showing shock and a hint of bitterness.

"Mr. Kaiba cannot be seen without an appointment, miss." She added a little more hiss at the end. _Well, that got your attention_.

"Alright," I put my hands up to show I'm not here to fight, "I'll schedule an appointment." She sneered and looked back at her screen. Her eyes moved rapidly as she was scanning the schedule.

"His next available appointment is July 11th at 2 p.m." She said coldly. _Wow, busy boy_.

"Uh…is there nothing open on this Saturday, the 7th?" I asked slightly confused. _I thought he already got me…_ A look of annoyance and inconvenience flashed across her face.

"The 11th is his next available." She repeated, even colder than the first time. _Geez, lady, do you ever smile?_

"Set…Mr. Kaiba told me last night that he would clear a time for me on the 7th for photos," I tried to explain soft and calm-like, "I can go ask him real quick." I began to walk around the desk to the two large dark cherry doors to the right. The brushed chrome handles complimented the dark wood nicely. I reached my hand out for the handle.

"Don't you go in there!" she shouted, as she snapped her fingers. Standing up, she quickly started walking toward me. "Security, escort this woman out!"

The grip of a large man in a black suit wrapped around my arm. _Where the hell did he come from?!_ He was built like a pro-wrestler, so getting out of his grip would be very difficult.

"Get off of me!" I shouted. I instantly choked on my words as 'Mr. Wrestler' started to drag me to the elevator. Little Ms. Blonde Bitch smirking at the sight. "This is ridiculous! Let go of me!" I tried to shout again.

"Silence, you!" His burly voice croaked under his breath. As the ding of the elevator doors chimed, the cherry door opened with force. His voice echoed over the walls and glass. Everything seemed to have been silenced in an instant.

"What the hell is all the noise out here?!"

"We are just getting this interloper out of here, sir." The security guard stated, as he was trying to pull me into the elevator with him. _Interloper? Really? Didn't realize that term was still used._

Kaiba's eyes met mine, and in an instant I felt a heated rush over me. _Good God, his eyes melt me to my core…_ He started to walk over to us. Determination in his steps.

"Let her go!" he demanded.

"Sir, she is causing issue. She must leave." His blonde bitch of a secretary explained. He waved her off to be quiet as he grabbed my hand to pull me away from his guard.

"I said, let her go." He growled. The grip around my arm vanished, as I was pulled aside to assess the "damage". Kaiba gave my arm a quick once-over before heading to Ms. Blonde. "Don't ever pull this shit again. Do you hear me? I will have you unemployed so fast, you will leave tread marks on the floor. Do you understand?"

His icy glare left her speechless. All she could do was nod and sit down at her desk, embarrassed. The guard returned to his post by the far wall quietly. Once again, Kaiba's attention was back on me. I felt my heart beat faster as he ushered me into his office. Once inside, I was like Ms. Blonde out there: speechless. His office was impressive, to say the least. Floor-to-ceiling windows allowed the NYC skyline to flood your vision, dark cherry bookcases traced the ivory-colored walls, books and awards filling their shelves.

"Please forgive me. Anna is a bit eccentric." He walked around me and sat down at his desk. Dark cherry, like all the other furniture but with a grey – almost silver – leather chair. _He definitely has that CEO vibe going._

"No need to apologize. I think she has a thing for you." I joked, lightly massaging my arm. Honestly, that was the only reason I could think of for her behavior, other than her being crazy.

"I should fire her. She is very cold to my clients. However, Claire would not have me firing her baby sister." He spoke coldly, only showing a slight change in tone when he mentioned Claire. I shifted my weight a little at the sound of her name. I don't know why her name bothered me so much. It's like Kaiba and I are anything other than friends, or rather acquaintances, but even her name makes me feel uncomfortable. He didn't even look away from his computer as he spoke again, "You can sit down, you know."

I didn't realize I had been standing for that long. I walked over to one of the two chairs in front of his desk. Though everything in his office was breath-taking, nothing kept my attention more than the Blue-Eyes White Dragon sculpture that was behind him. The detail work was incredible, from the massive wingspan to the aqua eyes. It felt like it would come alive at any moment.

"She was a gift." Kaiba commented, catching my stare at the artwork. "From Pegasus."

"Maximillian Pegasus?" _Duh, genesis. Who else?_ He just nodded in reply. "I thought you two didn't see eye to eye." For years, Industrial Illusions tried to steal Kaiba Corp. Pegasus was dead-set on gaining control of the company, that was until maybe 7 years ago when Pegasus essentially stopped all together.

"We didn't," Kaiba stated, "but our companies were getting negative press. So, we came to…an arrangement." Kaiba stood up, his cold stare locked on the sculpture. "Industrial Illusions would cease all attempts at obtaining my company," a smirk developed on his face, "and in return, Pegasus was offered to be one of my chief advisors over the designs of my virtual reality arenas."

A look of confusion flashed on my face. I guess I just didn't understand the gains for Kaiba Corp from that kind of arrangement. He must have caught my look, for he turned around, sat down and faced me.

"All he ever wanted was to see his Cecilia. That's why he tried to take my company. I gave him what he wanted, a chance to hold her again." I looked at him with curiosity, listening to his story. Honestly, I could just look at him all day without him saying a word _. My God, Andrea. Pull yourself together_.

"Long story, short: he gets to virtually be with her whenever he wants, and I get access to all updates of his card designs, including ability descriptions. Allows Kaiba Corp to have the most up-to-date database of Duel Monsters in the world."

"I'm guessing Blue-Eyes was a gift of gratitude then?" I finally spoke. _Wow, he has more levels to him then I gave him credit for_.

"Yes. She is a beauty." I saw his face shift to a more somber look as he moved our conversation to more current matters. "Andrea, I won't be able to do the shoot this weekend."

"Oh?" my heart sank, probably more than it should have.

"Yes. My company is about to launch another mass installment of my VR arenas around the world. Claire and I will be traveling to our partners' headquarters for the next 4 months to make sure production goes smoothly."

"I understand." I tried to sound unfazed, but I knew I couldn't hide my disappointment.

"I do apologize. This project was to be completed by next week, but my developers finished early. I leave on Friday." I just nodded my head. _Don't get upset, girl. Don't do it…_ I felt my sadness grow, my eyes wanting to produce tears. I fought them off. _Seriously? Tears? Not here, damn it_.

"My partners believe I have lost my edge in this business. That I'm not the same as I was when I was in my early 20's. They feel that I should leave my business matters to someone more _assertive_. I will not stand for that, so I am going to remind them why I leave nothing of business to anyone else worthy of handling it." He looked out the window, a small chuckle escaped his lips. "My brother and Claire have said I've changed as I got older. That I am more sensitive to people, more willing to make compromises. Not sure how I feel about that assumption, but I guess there could be some truth in it."

"I think I can agree with some of that truth, Kaiba." I chuckled slightly. Before he could continue, little Ms. Blonde…Anna…came through the door.

"Mr. Kaiba, Ms. Williams and Mokuba are on their way up, sir."

"Thank you, Anna. That's enough." He waved her off and she exited quietly.

"I guess that's my cue to go. Good luck on your project, Kaiba." I said sincerely. _Walk away, girl. This is the last time you'll see him, and it would be horrible to leave in tears_. I stood up, a little too quickly. I felt light-headed. I stumbled back a little, but luckily the arm of the chair was in reach.

"Are you alright?" he asked, standing suddenly as if he was about to come catch my fall.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you." I replied, redness returning to my cheeks. Kaiba circled the desk, leaning his perfect rear on the edge as he squared up across from me. His eyes traced my body and stopped to meet my gaze. _Holy crap!_ Electricity shot through me. _What this man does to me…and I barely even know him!_

"Do you have a card?" he asked, a sly grin appeared on his face.

"Excuse me?" _A card?_

"For your photography."

"Oh," I shyly looked away to the windows, "no, I don't. I was planning on getting them printed when I got back home to Kentucky."

"What a shame."

"I…I do have an online portfolio though. It's a very basic website but it gets the job done. It's 'Quiet Dragon Photography'." I stammered. _Why am I nervous?_ At that exact moment, I felt a vibration against my hip. "Ow," I sharply exhaled as I pulled out my phone to reveal Laura's "I'm here" message. He looked at me with curiosity. "Fresh tattoo." Providing clarity to my subtle outburst. Kaiba just smiled as he and I headed to the door. _Say goodbye, Andrea. This little crush is over_.

As a gentleman, he opened the door for me. Anna was typing away and Mr. Wrestler was in the corner, reading the Times. Neither of them looked up as Kaiba and I stood in awkward silence waiting for the elevator. When the ding of the elevator chimed, I let out a quick sigh. The doors opened to reveal a familiar face.

"Hey, big brother." He said, with slight surprise in his voice. He exited the elevator and flashed us both a smile. "Hard at work?" he joked.

"Not funny, Mokuba. Where's Claire?" he said sternly.

"She's stuck in traffic, should be here soon." Mokuba then directed his attention to me. "Hope he wasn't too mean to you last night, Ms. Masters."

"Andrea, please. And he wasn't too bad." I blushed. Mokuba just laughed and slapped his brother's back.

"Well, I guess it could've been worse!" he laughed. He said goodbye and walked into Kaiba's office. Kaiba shook his head and held the elevator doors for me.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye. Again, good luck on your project. And…thank you for dinner. Maybe we'll meet again and have a duel instead of dinner." I said as I turned in the elevator to face him. He just stood there, staring. His eyes locked with mine. Another jolt of electricity ran through me. _Oh sweet, Jesus. Can you be any more like Christian Grey?_ Another sly grin formed on his face.

He pressed the "L" button, and slipped out of the doorway. As the doors closed, he whispered…

"Until then."


End file.
